Boy, 3, badly burned after father set truck on fire, jumped out window during chase, officials say

BELTON, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A 3-year-old South Carolina boy was hospitalized with third degree burns after his father allegedly kidnapped him and led deputies on a chase that ended with a fiery crash.

The boy was identified as 3-year-old Bennett on a GoFundMe page set up for the family. He is receiving critical care at a Georgia burn center for third degree burns that cover 90% of his body.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to a home in Belton, South Carolina, on Wednesday after Bennett’s father, 31-year-old Joshua Dornellas, violently assaulted the boy’s mother. Dornellas then kidnapped the 3-year-old and left the house, deputies say.

A 3-year-old boy named Bennett is in critical condition after he was pulled from a burning car. His father, who is accused of kidnapping the boy, was arrested in relation to the incident.(Source: GoFundMe)

Investigators followed the suspect in an unmarked car. They say Bennett was in the front seat, and Dornellas threatened his life, WHNS reports.

“Our force was tracking the suspect without initiating blue lights as to not endanger the little boy or nearby drivers,” said a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.

Around 1 p.m., Dornellas reportedly crossed into Georgia on I-85 and Georgia State Patrol troopers began chasing him.

Troopers say during the pursuit, Dornellas intentionally set a fire in the truck. As the vehicle filled with smoke, troopers say he then jumped out through the window while it was traveling 55 miles per hour, leaving his son behind.

The truck crashed into an embankment and was engulfed in flames with Bennett still inside. Authorities allege Dornellas planned to kill the 3-year-old.

Joshua Dornellas, 31, faces multiple charges after he allegedly kidnapped his 3-year-old son and lit a car on fire with the boy still inside.(Anderson County Sheriff's Office)

Georgia troopers, Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division officers, and South Carolina deputies from Anderson, Franklin and Hart counties all rushed to extinguish the fire and pull the boy from the floorboard of the truck. He suffered severe burns and was airlifted to the Augusta Burn Center.

The Georgia State Patrol took Dornellas into custody and transported him to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center for the injuries he sustained. He faces a long list of charges in both South Carolina and Georgia.

Dornellas has a history of violence, according to deputies. They say he left five children, all under age 11, unsupervised at home April 21. A toddler was found outside alone. He was charged with domestic violence April 28, and the mother of his children took out an order of protection against him.

“As an agency, our hearts are with the child’s mother as she faces this unimaginable situation,” said the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in a release. “We ask the community for their continued prayers for the 3-year-old boy as he fights inside the trauma center.”

The family’s GoFundMe says Bennett has a long road to recovery. His mother, Chelsea, is a single mother of three, and the fundraiser says any money donated will be used to cover medical expenses, rehabilitation and support for the 3-year-old and his family.

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